“The agreement with Russia Japan need to get out of the custody of the United States”

“The agreement with Russia Japan need to get out of the custody of the United States”

29.02.2016

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is going to visit Russia. The timing is not yet announced, but, apparently, in late April – early may, he will meet with Vladimir Putin in Sochi. Russian-Japanese relations are important not only in themselves, but as part of a global geopolitical game that goes on between Moscow and Washington.

“After 70 years, between our countries there is still a territorial issue. In addition, not signed a peace Treaty. It is not normal, said on Saturday the Prime Minister of Japan. Territorial problem is not simple. Without trust it is impossible to have a dialogue on this issue. For both sides a solution to this problem is accompanied by risk.

“Almost the entire postwar history of the contacts between the leaders of Russia and Japan happen in a very strange mode”

However, President Putin was able to develop a trusting relationship. I trust him completely. I think Putin also knows that the solution of this problem will positively affect the development of Russia… and I And President Putin have reached this understanding. Somehow this problem needs to be addressed. Realizing this, I would like to visit Russia and to President Putin came to Japan. The exact timing has not been determined, it must be in the right time”.

The words of the Japanese Prime Minister regarding Smoke look, to put it mildly, not very correct, as already stated the Russian foreign Ministry – but the importance of the meeting between the two leaders it does not reduce.

About the trip Abe in Russia have started talking after a month ago, a telephone conversation between the two leaders after the first leaks and comments of officials. February 7 – the day of the so-called Northern territories – Abe said that he plans to visit Russia in “the right time”, and the Japanese press said that he “started to work visit Abe in Sochi in southern Russia and meetings with President Putin”. On February 15 in Tokyo held talks Deputy Ministers of foreign Affairs – and it became clear that preparing for the two visits. In mid-April in Japan forward by Sergei Lavrov, then Russia will go Abe.

The Japanese have already stated that Abe, who this year plays host to the “big seven” sees “its mediation role and the significance of his presidency, that is, “bridge”, which unites Russia with G7,” and “ready to convey the fears, experiencing the G7, Russian President, and at the same time he is ready to give the opinion of Putin to the members of the “big seven”. Given that the summit “seven” opens on may 26, it is clear that the visit will take place before that. As the most probable period is called the end of April – beginning of may. It is clear that the trip has been agreed with Washington that the talks, Abe and Putin will discuss and indefinitely postponed the visit of the Russian President to Japan.As Russia and Japan divided the territory (click to enlarge)

In General, the contacts between the two leaders happen in a very strange mode and rhythm, and this applies to almost the entire history of post-war relations between the two countries. They all the time something interferes. And this is for two reasons, and interrelated: the influence of the United States who are doing everything to prevent a Russo-Japanese rapprochement in the first place strongly pedal the “territorial dispute”.

In the past, it was the fault of the U.S. the Islands issue has not been resolved, the USSR and Japan agreed to sign a peace Treaty and the subsequent transfer of the two Islands, but the U.S. warned that in this case Tokyo can forget about returning under Japanese jurisdiction in Okinawa, on which are placed the American base. Japan in General was considered in the USSR as the great unsinkable American aircraft carrier, and the Japanese elite believed that their geopolitical sovereignty is limited to the United States. Therefore, the chances of rapprochement between the two countries was not. Moreover, virtually no personal relationship between the leaders of the two countries.

After the talks, Hatoyama and Khrushchev in 1956 – the first meeting of leaders of the two countries not only after the Second world war, but in General in the history of our relations, contacts at the highest level, it was not until 1973, when in Moscow with official visit has arrived the Prime Minister Tanaka. This meeting had no follow-up is too independent and strong premiere soon forced to resign (of course, for corruption). And another ten years passed without meetings at the highest level. Further contact can not be called solid: the Japanese premiere was in Moscow for the funeral of General secretaries in 1982 and 1985.